Belt-shifter.



No. 818,931. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

S. R. BAILEY.

BELT SHIPTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY12.1905.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

No. 818,931. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906. S. R. BAILEY.

BELT SHIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E"III/IA III/IAN saw a mum L0 NOIc-L:\'HOGRWNERS, ms nnnnnnnn c UNITED STATES PATENT, oFFrcE.

BELT-SHIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented April 24, 1906.

Application filed July 12,1905. Serial No. 269,333.

To all 1071/0171 it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. BAILEY, of Amesbury, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Belt-Shifters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to certain improvements on the belt-shifting apparatus disclosed in my pending application, SerialNo. 244,341, filed F ebruary6, 1905, in which I employ a radially-projecting flange on. the opposite edge of the belt-holder from the fast pulley, which served as a stop to limit the transverse move ment of the belt away from the fast pulley when it was transferred onto the holder. As the width of the face of the belt-holder was necessarily materially less than that of the belt which was designed to be used in connection therewith, it was necessary to vary the sizes of theapparatus accordin to the varying widths of the belts. Furthermore, the raised flange on the fast pulley was not always effective in stopping the transverse movement of the belt from the fast pulley as it was run onto the holder, as oftentimes one edge portion of the belt would run up onto the flange so that the other edge would not overhang the space between the holder and the pulley, making it impossible to transfer the belt from the holder back to the pulley in the manner contemplated. Moreover, while I have found a stationary belt-stop secured to the ceiling or the hanger to be sufficiently effective, yet such arrangement is susceptible of improvement, as will hereinafter appear.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the same apparatus may be employed for belts of widely varying widths by simply adjusting certain parts to correspond with such widths, to provide an effective stopping means for the transverse movement of the belt away from the fast pulley, so that the belt will always overhang between the holder and pulley to approximately the same extent, and to provide an improved form of belt-engaging means for moving the belt and holding it against transverse movement, which are especially adapted for the present purpose. I carry out these objects by the means shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the beltholder and fast pulley. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly broken away. Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations, partly in central section longitudinally of the shaft, showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the belt-holder stops.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the shipping-lever and fork connection.

In the drawings, a indicates the normally driven main shaft bearing the fast pulley b, and c a hanger which is secured at one side of and adjacent said pulley, said hanger having a hub c, which projects toward the pulley and on which an idle pulley (which I term for convenience a beltholder) dis journaled to rotate about an axis approximately concentric with that of the shaft a. Said beltholder is preferably in the form of an ordinary pulley and is provided with an annular groove (2 in its hub, in which are located the arms of a fork e. A lever g is pivoted by a bolt it between ears 0 formed on the hanger, and passes between ears 6 6", formed on the fork e. A pivot-bolt f is located in said ears 6 c and passes through a slot g, formed in said lever, a roll f being j ournaled on bolt f, (see Fig. 8,) so that the friction between the fork and lever when the former is to be moved by the latter is a rolling friction. The bushing f on the bolt is simply employed for convenience in assembling the parts. Connected to the free end of the lever g is a U- shaped arm g, the end portion of which ex tends approximately parallel to the shaft (1 in front of the fast pulley and beneath the belt a: as it runs onto the pulley. A vertically-extending belt-engaging finger i is adjustably secured to said end portion of the arm 9, said finger having a transversely-convex and a longitudinally-concave belt-engaging face. A U-shaped bracket is is adjustably secured to the upper end of the fork e by a set-screw k, said bracket extending obliquely upward and then at right angles and horizontally across the face of the belt-holder at a suitable distance from the point at which the belt runs onto the holder. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) A vertically-disposed finger or belt-stop m is adjustably secured to the horizontal portion of the bracket 7c, said finger having a transversely-convex and a longitudinally-concave belt-engaging face disposed to engage at its middle portion the opposite edge of the belt from that which is engaged by the finger i. A stop-screw 0 is secured in an ear 0, formed on the hanger c,

IIO

and serves to limit the movement of the fork e toward the hanger, and a bolt p is secured in the fork e and passes through an ear 0 on the hanger, the headof said bolt being adapted to engage the ear 0 and limit the movement of the belt-holder toward the pulley.

The normal position of the parts when the bolt is supported by the holder out of contact with the fast pulley and is therefore dead or stationary is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which osition the opposite edge of the belt from t e pulley is in engagement with the finger m and its adjacent edge portion pro ect's over or overhangs the space between the rim of the belt-holder and the pulley, as shown.

As in the device of my prior application, when the lever k is thrown toward the fast pulley it will cause the fork e to slide the older longitudinally of its axis toward the fast pulley and force the projecting edge of the belt into engagement with the adjacent edge of its rim, and as soon as the belt engages said rim it will begin to travel and will immediately begin to run onto said rim. The face of the pulley is crowned, so that the belt will ordinarily run to the middle of the pulley before the holder has been moved toward the pulley to its fullest extent. If, however, the belt should tend to run back onto the holder after it has been started onto the fast pulley, it will be prevented from so doing by finger m, which moves with the holder longitudinally of its axis and bears against the edgeof the belt until the belt begins to run up on the crown of the ulley without assistance, as shown in the otted'line position of the belt in Fig. 4. The parts are so adjusted that the belt will have been forced to run onto the pulley to such an extent by the time the holder has reached the end of its movement to the pulley that there is no'possibility that the belt will not immediately run to the middle of the pulley, In moving the holder up to the ulley,- so that the belt will run onto it, the finger i will be moved in the same direction in advance of the belt, and when the holder has been moved in this direction as far as the stop-bolt p will permit the finger i must have been moved to a position in which it will be. close to,but out of contact with the adjacent edge of the belt when the latter is fully on the pulley, as shown in the full-line position'of Fig. 4.

When the belt is to be shipped back onto the belt-holder, the arm g is thrown in the opposite direction and the finger i immediately engages the belt and causes it to runoff the fast pulley onto the belt-holder, the latter being at the same time moved away from the pulley. As the belt-holder will be driven by the belt while the belt is also still in contact with the pulley and will continue to rotate for a short time after the belt leaves the pulley, by reason of the momentum of the parts the belt would ordinarily run onto the holder to such an extent that its edge portion would "not overhang the space between the holder and pulley if it were not for the finger m, which engages the opposite edge of the belt and effectively prevents transverse movement of the belt beyond the desired position, as shown in Fig. 3. In case a narrower belt than that shown is to be used in connection with the apparatus the finger m must be adjusted on the bracket 76 toward the pulley, so that the transverse movement of the belt will be arrested immediately after the belt has been moved out of contact with said pulley, and likewise if a wider belt than that shown is to be used the finger m must be adj usted away from the pulley, so that the belt may move out of contact with said pulley and be held on the holder in the desired position. The belt employed may be so much wider than the face of the holder that its opposite edge from the pulley may overhang the space between the holder and hanger and may even touch the latter when it comes to rest. tion of the belt adjacent the pulley should project beyond the adjacent edge of the beltholder face the same distance in every instance, as a wide belt is preferably made to project farther than a narrow belt ,and obviously will project farther if the same proportion of its width is on the pulley, as in the case of the narrow belt. For this and other reasons, which will be obvious, it is desirable to vary the length of the distance which the holder travels and also the limits of its movement in each direction, this being accomplished by the stop-bolts 0 and p. The movement of the holder toward the ulley should always be arrested before the ormer is moved into contact with the latter, and this function is performed by the stop-bolt 19,

.while its movement away from the pulley should be limited at a point in which the belt may lie out of contact with the pulley, and may yet project beyond the holder to a sufficient distance to enable it to be forced onto the pulley, as before described.

I have found that the belt sometimes has a tendency to turn down between the holder and pulley, and for this reason I arrange the finger i on the shipper-lever, so that the under side of the belt at its edge will be engaged by the lower portion of said finger, which portion extends obliquely away from points beneath the belt toward the adjacent edge. The result is that said edge portion of the belt will be turned upwardly as it is run onto the holder by said finger. (See dotted position of Fig. 3.) This action not only causes the belt to run more quickly and easily from the pulley, but also causes a tendency to turn up or outward to be given to the edge portion of the belt thus engaged, so that the tendency to turn under or catch the It is now essential that the edge por-.

rim of the pulley as it is transferred thereon is in most instances effectively overcome. The finger is moreover adjusted so that it bears against the belt with sufficient force to turn its edge portion upward when the belt is out of contact with the pulley, as shown in the full-line position of Fig. 3.

In order to prevent effectively the belt from catching under the rim of the fast pulley in forcing the belt thereon under all conditions, I secure to the inner side of the rim of said pulley a supplemental rim q, which projects beyond the edge of the pulley-rim beneath the overhanging edge of the belt when the latter is in its dead position. The internal diameter of the edge portion of the rim of the holder is greater than the external diameter of the rim q, so that it may pass over said rim 9 when the holder is moved toward the pulley. As the edge of the rim of the pulley is beveled down to the supplemental rim, there is no possibility that the edge of the belt will catch on the edge of the pulley-rim or pass beneath it when the supplemental rim (1 is employed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a single device provided with my improvements may be effectively employed in connection with belts of widely varying widths and that it may be easily adapted for such varying widths.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a fast pulley and a belt driven thereby, an axially-movable idle pulley at one side of said fast pulley, a stop for limiting the movement of the belt onto the idle pulley at a position thereon in which its edge portion projects therefrom when out of engagement with the fast pulley and the idle pulley is in a remote position from the fast pulley, and means whereby said stop may be adjusted transversely of the idle pulley, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, an idle pulley mounted at one side of said fast pulley and means for moving it axially, a stop for engaging the opposite edge of the belt from the fast pulley at a point remote from the rim of the idle pulley, as the belt leads onto it, said stop being located to limit the moveent of them belt from said fast pulley onto the idle pulley at a position in which an edge portion of the belt lies between the adjacent edges of the rims of said pulleys, substantially as described.

In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, an idle pulley mounted at one side of said fast pulley and means for moving it axially, and a bracket supported adjacent said idle pulley, connected thereto to move axially therewith and held from movement about the axis thereof, said bracket having a stop mounted thereon to limit the transverse movement of the belt from the fast pulley onto the idle pulley in a position in which an edge portion of the belt lies beween the adjacent edges of the rims of said pulleys, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, an idle pulley mounted at one side of said fast pulley and means for moving it axially, and a bracket supported adjacent said idle pulley, connected thereto to move axially therewith and held from movement about the axis thereof, said bracket having a stop mounted thereon to limit the transverse movement of the belt from the fast pulley onto the idle pulley in a position in which an edge portion of the belt lies between the adjacent edges of the rims of said pulleys, said stop being adjustable on said bracket transversely of the rim of the idle pulley, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, a hanger, an axiallymovable idle pulley journaled thereon at one side of said fast pulley, an actuating device, held from rotation by said hanger, for moving said idle pulley axially, and a stop mounted on said actuating device located to limit the movement of the belt from the fast pulley onto the idle pulley in a position in which an edge portion of the belt lies between the adj acent edges of the rims of said pulleys, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, a hanger, an axially-movable idle pulley rotatably mounted thereon at one side of said fast pulley and means for moving said idle pulley axially, a stop connected to said idle pulley to move axially therewith, and connected to said hanger to hold it from rotation therewith, said stop being disposed to engage the opposite edge of the belt from the fast pulley to limit its movement from the fast pulley onto the idle pulley at a position in which an edge portion thereof lies between the adjacent edges of the rims of said fast and loose pulleys, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, a hanger, an idle pulley journaled thereon at one side of said fast pulley, means for moving said idle pulley axially, adjustable stops connected to said hanger for limiting the movement of said idle pulley in either direction, and a beltstop held in a determined relation with said idle pulley for limiting the transverse movement of the belt from the fast pulley onto the idle pulley, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a main drivingshaft having a fast pulley thereon, and a belt to be driven by said pulley, a hanger, an idle pulley j ournaled thereon at one side of said fast pulley, means for moving said idle pulley axially, adjustable stops connected to said hanger for limiting the movement of the idle pulley in either direction, and an axially-adjustable belt-stop for limiting the transverse movement of the belt from the fast pulley onto the idle pulley, substantially as described.

9. In combination with a fast pulley and a belt driven thereby, an aXiallymovabl e idle pulley at one side of said fast pulley, means for holding the belt on the idle pulley with its edge portion projecting therefrom, when out of engagement with the fast pulley, and a supplemental rim extending from the rim of said fast pulley and adapted to pass within the rim of said idle pulley, the surfaces of said supplemental rim and the rim of the fast pulley being approximately continuous, substan tially as described.

10. In combination with a normally driven tatably mounted at one side of said fast pulley, means for moving said idle pulley axially to carry the belt toward said fast pulley with the adjacent edge portion thereof projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the rim of said idle pulley, to bring said projecting edge portion of the belt into engagement with the rim of the fast pulley, and a supplemental rim con nected to the rim of said fast pulley and projectin within the periphery thereof, toward the id e pulley, the external diameter of said supplemental rim being less than the internal diameter of the rim of the idle pulley, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL R. BAILEY.

Witnesses:

L. H. HARRIMAN, H. B. DAVIS. 

